Work Text:
Wriothesley was no stranger to scheming.
As the administrator of the whole fortress, he always had eyes and ears open anywhere and everywhere his domain may touch. Whether it be an individual or a group, the moment the words of a plan leave someone’s mouth, he’s already planning a counterattack. The details are only shared between his mind and consciousness, and the next time someone takes action, they’re swiftly dealt with.
So why does he get a chill every time Sigewinne’s friends visit and they hole up in her room?
Wriothesley shakes his head, “It’s probably nothing,” he reassures himself, willing the thoughts in his mind to dissolve. Most of the time it really is nothing, just discussions of pretty flowers and their medicinal properties according to freshness and such. And the other times are just harmless pranks, such as stickers and milkshakes. He shakes his head once more.
“It’s not like I’d mind all that much.” He smiles to himself, turning his full attention to his paperwork.
~
“Excuse me, Your Grace!” Two muffled voices pipe up from behind the door of his office. Belated and hurried knocks follow, accompanied by cheerful giggles, “We have something for you!"
Wriothesley beckons them in, tidying up the stray documents on his desk for their arrival. Their light footsteps up the stairs bring a smile to his face, a deserved break if he might say so himself. “What a pleasant surprise,” he exclaims, seeing the tray of tea Sigewinne is holding, and the box of cookies in Liath’s hands. He chuckles lightheartedly, asking them in a teasing tone, “Is there anything you need? You know you didn’t have to bribe me.” He takes the tray from Sigewinne’s hands and pours himself a cup of tea, handing the two melusines their drink of choice.
Sigewinne and Liath sit down behind him, settling down before working together to open the box. “We know!” Sigewinne giggles before taking a bite. “But this is a very important matter, so we’re making sure your answer is yes.” Liath nods beside her, offering a cookie to Wriothesley, to which he accepts gratefully with a smile.
Sigewinne nudges Liath, and she takes it as her cue to start. “Um, Monsieur Duke, would you join us for a picnic tomorrow? We’d like to wish Mamere farewell and safe travels before she leaves for her trip.” She asks him, shy at first but building up the courage that by the end she’s looking him in the eye with a hopeful smile.
Oh no. Wriothesley realizes. Sigewinne alone can only half convince him, but making Liath, a relatively unfamiliar Melusine to him, ask him with that tone and that face, would be a surefire way to make him say yes. He can’t find it in himself to say no to any of the melusines, anyway. He’ll never forgive himself if he ever made one of them disappointed. And him, too. I bet he’ll give me the cold shoulder if he hears word of it.
Wriothesley purses his lips, barely concealing the impressed tone in his voice when he answers, “Of course, I would be honored to be a part of it and I’m looking forward to it already.” Despite feeling cornered, he can’t help but feel proud for them. What cunning girls. He takes a sip of his tea, relishing in the familiar taste as he watches both Sigewinne and Liath celebrate by hopping in place with wide grins, laughing together.
“Wait,” Wriothesley interjects, putting down the teacup. He casts a suspicious look toward the two melusines. “This gathering, this is a sort of farewell party for one of yours, right? And forgive me if this sounds offensive but why am I invited? Surely Monsieur Neuvillette would be a better choice to invite,” he pauses, narrowing his eyes at Sigewinne, who looks doesn’t meet his gaze. “Unless, you’re going to make me invite him.” He finishes, crossing his arms at his chest, raising an expectant eyebrow. Caught off guard again, he laughs to himself.
Sigewinne whines, “You’re too sharp for your own good, Your Grace!” She complains, pointing a finger at him. Liath giggles at her side, and whispers something in Sigewinne’s ear. The latter gasps, eyes sparkling, “But we still got you!” She cheers, celebrating once more with Liath, Wriothesley now forgotten as they circle the office with playful singing.
“Indeed.” He laughs in amusement, taking a sip with a defeated smile.
~
To my Dear Neuvillette,
I hope this letter finds you well. I have recently been invited by Sigewinne and her friends to a farewell party for their friend Mamere, who will be going on an adventure outside of Fontaine, as I have been informed.
You are invited as well, of course, but Sigewinne left your invitation to me as they are busy preparing for this party. Do not worry, they are working in moderation, I am making sure of it.
I will pick you up at the Palais Mermonia in ten days.
Yours,
Wriothesley
Hi Monsieur! This is Sigewinne and Liath. We’re so sorry we can’t invite you personally, it takes too much time right now. But! We know you’ll have time for the picnic, Sedene told us so. She’s also invited, by the way, and we’re all excited for it! Well, not really because Mamere is leaving, but it’s been a while since many of us will be gathering. And Mr. Duke will be there too, so you can have a friend! See you there Monsieur!
Love,
Sigewinne and Liath ♥
~
The morning of the picnic, Wriothesley’s office is transformed into a kitchen, sans the the stove, since most of the food the melusines like are natural ingredients mixed together. Liath and Kiara are helping Sigewinne, occupying his entire table usually reserved for guests.
He himself uses his desk as a workstation, though less space is being used considering he only has to make sandwiches for him and Neuvillette, and a few extras for any curious Melusine who may ask. He thinks back to the letter the three of them had penned earlier, and barely suppresses a chuckle. The melusines can be so cute as they are sly, and he’s sure Neuvillette had singled out the many discrepancies.
And despite that, he’s still coming along. He soundlessly hums to himself, his smile growing. What a softie, seriously.
“Your Grace! We’re almost done here!” The cheerful voice of Liath snaps him out of his contemplation, and he turns his sight to see that, indeed, they were done and were just starting to clean up.
He looks down at the finished sandwiches on his desk, and walks over to their table. “Here, let me help you tidy up.” He offers, gathering the used utensils into a big mixing bowl, setting aside the bits of food and trash on the surface. In no time, his office has reverted to a proper work place, two picnic baskets the only things out of place.
“Thank you, Your Grace!” Three similar voices address him, accompanied by three pairs of his taking each of his hands and leading him to the exit.
Wriothesley laughs, a warm and genuine sound from his throat. “Aren’t we forgetting something? I’d hate to just leave all the food we worked so hard to make.” He teases, looking down at the melusines. Identical voices let out giggles, and once everything they needed to bring was secured and on their person, they were off.
Stepping out of the fortress, Wriothesley pauses for a while, taking a deep breath and enjoying the warm rays of the sun. A picnic basket in his left hand and Kiara’s left hand in his right, he leads the way to the Court of Fontaine.
From afar, they look like a family of four out on a stroll, linked hands tugging each other to their destination. Wriothesley is on the farthest left, next to her is Kiara, holding on to Liath’s left hand, and finally Sigewinne at the other end, a smaller picnic basket in her right hand. They keep light conversation along the way, mostly just all of them pointing out things and animals they find cute or fascinating.
To Wriothesley’s relief, they encounter no monsters along their way, making their trip faster compared to usual, and before they knew it, they were standing in front of the Palais Mermonia, waiting for Neuvillette and Sedene.
He leads the two melusines to the shade while they wait, Sigewinne going inside and calling their two other companions. He turns to Liath and Kiara, putting down the two baskets for the moment. “You two good?” He asks, voice soft that it surprises even himself.
“Maybe just a little thirsty. All that walking is hard work!” Liath responds, Kiara nodding beside her.
Wriothesley smiles, opening the bigger basket and taking out a bottle of water. He uncaps the bottle before handing them off. “Here you go, drink up.” He guesses its just a melusine’s natural charm, that makes him softer like this. He’s seen other people act the same way, so he supposes it’s not a bad thing.
“Thank you, Mr. Duke!” They chorus, passing the bottle back and forth, finishing its contents in the end.
The double doors of the Palais open, and three figures step out, pausing briefly to locate something before making their way to them. Wriothesley kneels on one knee to welcome the melusine running to him. “Hey there, Sedene, ready to go?”
“Oh, its good to see you, Monsieur Duke! And yes, I’ve already prepared two days before today. Oh! I’m so excited to see my sisters again!” She gushes, accepting Wriothesley’s invitation for a hug before moving on to hug Liath and Kiara behind him, Sigewinne joining the group hug soon enough.
He stands up, and meets the eyes of Neuvillette, who has stopped just a pace in front of him. He mirrors the smile of his beloved, taking a step forward into his arms. “Its good to see you, Mr. Iudex of Fontaine,” he teases, earning him a huff from the other.
“I am relieved you have changed little, Monsieur Duke of the Fortress,” he replies easily, but doesn’t expect the gentle peck on his cheek, courtesy of the man in front of him. His face turns a soft rosy color as he looks away, avoiding the huge grin Wriothesley is wearing. “Ahem. Perhaps we should start moving, lest we be late for the party.” He suggests, not at all gentle.
This prompts Wriothesley to laugh a little, nonetheless obliging as he picks up the bigger picnic basket with his right hand, and taking Neuvillette’s hand, entwining their fingers together. “It would be unwise of me not to listen.” He says, and leaves it at that with an easy smile.
The two of them ignore the horribly-concealed giggles behind them, and instead just start walking to the station.
Nearing the party location, Kiara starts to lag behind, unintentionally walking slower than the rest of them. Wriothesley glances back at her, concern pinching his brows a little bit. “Kiara, doing okay there?”
She snaps her head to him. “Huh? Oh, yes, I’m just a bit tired from all this walking.”
“Would you like me to carry you?” Neuvillette butts in, walking closer to her. He stretches a hand toward her, prompting her to think about it for a moment with a hand on her chin. She finally nods, and hops to Neuvillette, sitting on his hip with his arm curled to secure her position.
“Thank you, Monsieur.” She tells him as Neuvillette hands over his picnic basket for Wriothesley to carry.
Sigewinne, with all her energy, raises a hand and catches the attention of both Wriothesley and Neuvillette. “Me too, me too! I’m tired, Wriothesley, please carry me!” She informs them, with the force of someone who is definitely not tired.
It’s all the warning he gets before she’s jumping into his arms and scrambling to perch on his shoulders. Said man does hid best not to topple over, and he breathes a sigh of relief once he feels Sigewinne settle down, placing her hands on top of his head. “Alright, alright,” he relents, adjusting the melusine’s legs to a better position on his shoulders, “just don’t grip my hair too hard, please.” He receives a giggle, so he resolves to just take what he can get.
Liath tugs at Neuvillette’s outer coat. “Can I have a lift as well, monsieur?” She asks, everyone knowing it was just a formality at this point.
Neuvillette nods at her, stretching out his unoccupied hand before calling out, “Sedene? Would you like one as well?” He waits for her answer, which turns out to be a shy nod. “Very well. Please put down the basket before you do.” He instructs.
Wriothesley watches as Neuvillette gracefully and without difficulty carries three melusines on his person, along with an extra picnic basket that he tucks into his elbow. Kiara and Sedene sit on an arm each, looking as secure as possible given their position. Liath meanwhile sits on Neuvillette’s shoulders, mimicking Sigewinne’s position and posture. Neuvillette doesn’t break a sweat, not even a small change in breath.
Wriothesley feels warmth on his cheeks before he tries to hid it by looking away with a cough, unaware of the smug smile Sigewinne is giving him. “Is everyone comfortable? Nothing too heavy, Neuvillette?” He asks, looking over each Melusine one last time.
With no disagreements, they set off once again, easy conversation flowing around their bubble once more.
Once the venue was in sight, the four melusines start squirming, though they try to hide it. Wriothesley and Neuvillette exchange a glance, then a nod, before they let the melusines off and letting them rush to their sisters. They take their time approaching the others, giving them their space before it was their turn.
Once in melusine sight, they are surrounded by every direction. Smiling faces and cheerful energy greet them, and it isn’t long before the contagious energy spreads to their cores, resulting in them showing wider smiles than their usual everyday emotions. It seems I needed this, Wriothesley tells himself, feeling his cheeks hurt a bit after a short while.
The fading energy is renewed when Mamere, the guest of honor, shows up with a blindfold over her eyes. By her side is Seymour, with a similar blindfold over what the melusines had deemed his eyes. They are being led by Sluasi and Sedile, the former leading Mamere by the hand while the latter just gives directions when needed.
The party-slash-picnic starts when Mamere takes off her blindfold, and is greeted by a resounding shout of “SURPRISE!”.
Neuvillette and Wriothesley stay a ways away from the commotion in the center, preferring to let the melusines have their time with each other before they give their well wishes. While waiting, they set up their picninc blanket and food, sitting with two melusines from Merusea, Serene and Flo.
Wriothesley lets out a contented sigh, resting all his weight on his arms stretched behind his back. I really did need this.
They share some of their sandwiches to the melusines, with varying degrees of reactions. They in turn taste some of the food the melusines have brought, and Wriothesley is pleasantly surprised when most of the dishes offered to him were to his taste. He’ll have to ask Sigewinne or the others about it later.
He feels a nudge on his bicep, looking to his side. “It seems we can can give Mamere our greetings now.” Neuvillette informs his, directing his gaze to the aforementioned Melusine for Wriothesley to follow. He stands up first, taking Neuvillette’s hand and helping him up, dusting themselves off for a bit before walking toward Mamere.
She spots them first, raising a hand in a cheerful wave as she calls out to them, “Monsieur Neuvillette! Monsieur Wriothesley! Its great to see you here!”
“Likewise, Mamere. I hope you’ve been well.” Neuvillette returns her greeting, giving her a pat on the head with a fond smile.
Wriothesley bends down to her height, shaking her hand playfully. “We heard you’re going on an adventure Mamere! We’re happy for you!” He grins at her, before patting her head much like what Neuvillette did.
Mamere brightens up. “Yes! Seymour will be with me, along with someone else that Seymour knows. She’s very nice, I think I’ll be enjoying every moment!” She states giddily, bringing both her hands to her lips.
“Just make sure you stay safe, okay?” Neuvillette tells her with a smile. He pauses for a moment before remembering something. “I almost forgot,” he takes out something from an inside pocket, “Wriothesley and I prepared something for you before you go.” The item he takes out is a small blue pendant in the shape of a teardrop.
Wriothesley takes out a thin and fairly short chain from his pocket. The chain is glowing a faint blue, the telltale cryo enchantment glinting in the sun. “Neuvillette says this will help protect you outside Fontaine, and will remind you of home, should you miss it.” They bring the two items together, slotting the chain through the pendant’s hook, creating a beautiful necklace of varying shades of blue.
Neuvillette puts it on Mamere’s neck securing the lock at her back. He pulls away, staying in his crouched position along with Wriothesley as they watch her take it on her palm and admire it. “Thank you so much,” she whispers, voice shaky as she leaps toward them, hugging their necks together. “I love it, monsieurs! They’re both very pretty.”
The two return the hug, and when Wriothesley notices the flickering expressions on Neuvillette’s face, he answers for them both. “We’re glad you like it.”
Thankfully, the weather doesn’t start to pour after that moment, and now the two of them have moved near the small lake, sitting side by side. The melusines are doing their own activities now, some are playing among the flora, some are making flower crowns, and Sigewinne and her friends are going around looking for specific flowers.
He rests his head on Neuvillette’s shoulder. “I’m glad I got invited, The last time I had this much actual relaxation was months ago.”
He feels Neuvillette rest his cheek on his head, and after a while he hears him talk, “I must admit, I have the same sentiments. It is rare for both of us to enjoy a day like this with the melusines. Both you and them keep my mind and heart at ease.”
Wriothesley covers his reddening face with a hand. “Oh, come on you can’t just say that!” He tells the other man, despite feeling butterflies in his whole body. He can hear the smirk Neuvillette is giving him right now, but thankfully he drops it, enjoying the comfortable silence following it.
“Monsieurs! We made flower crowns for you!” They hear from afar, the voice belonging to Verenata, who comes bounding toward them, Rufina by her side and a bundle of flowers in their hands. They bend their heads to them for easy access, and as they pull away, the two melusines squeal in joy.
“You’re both so beautiful monsieurs!”
“Thank you for the for the flower crowns Vereneta, Rufina.” Nevillette nods to them, followed by an enthusiastic “Thanks!” from Wriothesley.
They turn to each other, admiring the other’s appearance. The happiness between them is spreading out, and they revel in the comfort each other’s joy brings. “You really are beautiful,” Wriothesley whispers, almost like a prayer, reaching out to brush stray hair from Neuvillette’s face.
“I could say the same about you.” Neuvillette says, and without hesitation brings their lips together. Once again, they ignore the shushes and whispers from their well-meaning companions, choosing instead to bask in each other’s light.
~
Wriothesley takes Neuvillette’s hand and gingerly places a kiss on the back of it. “Until next time, my dear.” He tells the other with a wink, smile gentle and eyes genuine.
“Next time, my beloved.” Neuvillette answers with a nod, disappearing behind the Palais doors, gently clutching Sedene's hand in his.
Looking up at the clear night sky, Wriothesley shifts Sigewinne to a more comfortable position in his arms, covering her more with his jacket, before starting to walk in the direction of the fortress. “And lets go home, Sigewinne.”